Traveling from China to the UAE: Everything You Need to Know

While the visa on arrival is valid for 30 days, if you plan to live and work in the UAE, you also have the option to extend your visa to stay longer in the UAE, or change it to a residence visa. To find out about the latest visa extension rules and how to stay in the UAE, you can contact two agencies:

1. If you land in Dubai, you can contact the Amer Call Center on 800 5111. The Amer Center is the visa processing center of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai.

2. If you land in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah, your visa on arrival will be issued by the Federal Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). For more information on visa extension, you can contact the ICP call center at 600 522222.

When traveling to the UAE, you should follow these COVID-19 guidelines:

From 26 February 2022, fully vaccinated travelers will be required to present a valid vaccination certificate certifying that the traveler is fully vaccinated with World Health Organization (WHO) or UAE-approved vaccines with a QR code.

Those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 can present a valid negative result of a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test taken within 48 hours prior to arrival, or a proof of recovery from COVID-19 (with QR code) issued 30 days prior to departure days if they have had the virus before.

• Children under 12 years of age.
• Passengers with moderate to severe disabilities:
– Moderate or severe disabilities include neurological disabilities and intellectual or developmental disabilities. Examples: acute spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ataxia, autism spectrum, Bell’s palsy, brain tumor, brain aneurysm, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome , epilepsy and seizures.
– All other passengers, including passengers who are visually impaired, hearing impaired or physically handicapped, must possess a negative COVID-19 RT PCR test certificate as required.

Once you arrive in the UAE, you can obtain a tourist or visitor SIM card from any of these telecommunications providers (Etisalat, Du or Virgin Mobile) in the airport arrivals area or in a shopping mall. You will need to show your passport, entry stamp and visa (if applicable). You will be given a choice of different packages to suit the length of your stay. Click here for a comprehensive guide to your SIM card options.

Alternatively, you can check with your Chinese telecom provider before traveling to the UAE to buy an international package.If you are using a Chinese number, please remember that you need to add +971 in front of any UAE number as this is the international calling code for the UAE.

According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai, if you have a driver’s license issued in China, you will be able to drive a rented car in Dubai.

When renting a car, you may be asked to pay a refundable deposit and pay for insurance and rental costs. It is advisable to pay special attention to insurance coverage as it can save you expensive bills in the event of an accident.

The deposit for car rental is generally around Dh1,000, and it will be refunded to you when you return the car. The car rental company guarantees that there will be no traffic fines that need to be paid.

Find out more about what to look out for when renting a car in the UAE here.

If you are settled in the UAE as a resident, you can follow some easy steps to convert your Chinese driver’s license to a UAE driver’s license. The documents required to complete the process are:

• Original driving license from China
• vision test
• Original Emirates ID
• Legal translation of the license into Arabic or English

for more information, please click here.

The UAE also offers public transport options, including buses, trains and trams. In Dubai, you can use all public transport with just one card. This card is called a Nol card. Read more about Nol cards here.

Many areas of Dubai are also bike friendly, so you can explore the city by bike, e-bike or e-scooter.

You can also hail a taxi, hail a car on the street, or download and use these two apps – Careem and Uber. They are both available for Apple and Android devices. Depending on which emirate you are in, there is also the option of calling a taxi service provider operating in the area. To find out more about how to hail a taxi in the UAE, read our detailed guide here.

You can find many Dubai hotel, hostel, bed and breakfast options from these websites and apps:

• Ctrip
• Qunar.com
• Booking.com
• Tuniu.com
• eLong.com
• Hostelworld.com
• Tujia.com

You can rent a long-term residence if you become a Dubai resident follow our guideor you can even consider buying one.

There are a few things to keep in mind when traveling to the UAE. Although the UAE is a cosmopolitan society, it has a rich culture and heritage that reflects traditional Arab and Islamic values. To learn more about how to respect local culture by adapting to local traditions, Read our detailed guide here.